One of the more common complaints of pet owners is when their pet starts urinating in the house, on clothing or bedding. This problem is very common in both canine and feline medicine.  If it is a dog, one of the first questions I often ask is whether the pet is urinating where they sleep or lay, which is more of an involuntary urinary incontinence problem. This behavior is fairly common in dogs as they get older, especially in spayed female dogs.

This problem is usually diagnosed by history, physical exam and ruling out infection by urine analysis. While there are many holistic vet products such as HomeoPet Leaks No More, and others, many of these pets need prescription medications such as Proin to help keep the problem under control.

In feline medicine, urinating outside the litter box is a much more complex problem and usually involves a combination of emotional and/or physical factors. Urine analysis is needed to rule out infection or inflammation and/or crystal formation, as well as careful history to see if there are behavioral factors involved in the urinary issue. After performing a thorough exam, history and urine analysis, a cause and treatment plan can usually be undertaken.  If needed, antibiotics can be prescribed, or further testing such as urine culture, X-rays and/or ultrasound should be performed to look at the possibility of urinary tract stones, polyps, or in older pets, tumors. If the workup reveals no medical cause, then behavior modification techniques and products like Comfort Zone for Cats with Feliway can be employed to help solve this frustrating problem in the home.

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Gumby: still in one piece even after all this time.

All week the kids have been looking forward to giving Greta this vibrating ball we bought her. She barks madly at anything that moves, so why wouldn’t she go nuts at a moving ball that makes weird noises? Cole has been talking about how we will win some sort of imaginary video award and lots of money over a video of Greta going crazy for the latest and greatest toy she has ever had. We drew straws over who would get to be the one to hand it to her but, in true dog form, she was completely unpredictable. We turned it on, and she walked away. She didn’t even double take. So we don’t have a cute video of a hilarious reaction to this most “amazing” toy despite a whole week of anticipation. We just have a picture of old tried and true – Gumby – the toy she went over and picked up after the failed video attempt. I guess some dogs just know what they want.

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A recently published study has looked at a natural proprietary plant blend product, in which the dose of cortisone needed to control allergy symptoms was significantly decreased in a significant number of animals. This natural product called Phytopica can supposedly help allergic dogs by “maintaining a healthy immune system” and is simply added to the diet. In this one study, some dogs did not like the flavor, and definitely more work and research is needed. However, this preliminary report is certainly exciting, given the frustrations many animal guardians and veterinarians across the country in trying to manage chronic allergic skin patients.

While not yet available, both veterinarians and animal guardians can learn more about this potential new product on the horizon at the website www.phytopharm.com

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One of the more common skin problems seen in the feline veterinary clinic is when cats pull out their hair. This can manifest as excessive grooming anywhere on the body, but especially the lower back or abdomen and can often lead to extensive areas of hair loss. Sometimes secondary sores and infections can develop, increasing the incidence of vomiting of hairballs. Any cat that has such a problem should have a full skin workup at a vet, including an exam of the hair shafts to see if the hair loss is from self grooming. In addition, the cat should also have a thorough evaluation and skin scrape for external parasites.

Many times this problem is due to a seasonal allergy in cats that come in contact with dander, mold, house dust, grass, etc. While in other cases this can be a manifestation of a food allergy in a cat. In addition to making sure the cat is on a total preventative flea program, I will also instruct clients to try an antihistamine trial. My favorite for cats is Chlorpheniramine which is often dosed at 2 mg twice daily.  It also will sometimes help to add a fatty acid to the diet such as Be Well or Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil, which can sometimes help allergic animals when used long term.

I have also found the supplements Vetri-DMG Liquid and Proanthozone helpful in some cats as well. If the problem is year round, than a dietary trial with a natural novel protein diet, preferably one like the Instincts diet, which closely resembles what a cat evolved naturally to eat in the wild.  If none of these suggestions work and/or the condition worsens, then sometimes a cortisone shot is the only treatment that I find works in some of these felines. On occasion we will find what are called psychogenic hair pullers, which is a nervous habit that some cats develop, just like people who twirl their hair or bite their nails. In those cases and once allergies have been ruled out, it’s possible for medications such as Amitriptyline are prescribed by a veterinarian to help.

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One of the latest developments in veterinary medicine is the recent availability of a new test and protein marker in the blood of dogs. This test can help diagnose and differentiate primary heart disease from chronic respiratory disease, which can present in a very similar way to both animal guardian and veterinarian. This blood protein is known as NT-proBNP.

This is a highly accurate and sensitive test recently available to veterinarians. In the past, the only way of definitely diagnosing heart disease in pets was with the gold standard echocardiogram. This new test is important because dogs with signs of chronic coughing and exercise intolerance may have primary heart and/or respiratory disease. Now with the recent availability of this new test, veterinarians can quickly differentiate between these very similarly presenting but differently treated group of diseases.

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A very common skin condition often affecting the chin of cats is known as chin acne.  The presentation of this condition can vary widely from the appearance of blackheads on the chin which occasionally slough off and leave a black crust on the surface or along the chin, to larger boils that can discharge pus and/or blood. Most of the time cats do not seem to be bothered by this common condition, which in many cases bothers the guardian more than the pet.

The exact pathology of these eruptions is usually due to clogged hair follicles which become inflamed. I have found that on occasion using plastic dishes can aggravate this condition, so plastic dishes should be avoided.  Many cats don’t need to be treated if they are not bothered by the chin eruptions, while others sometimes will need topical antibacterial therapies such as topical benzoyl peroxide preparations and/or antibacterials like Bactoderm or Mupirocin. Occasionally systemic oral antibiotics are needed, but since we don’t know the cause of this condition in most cases, the condition can recur in the future.

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One of the most common orthopedic issues found in young, particularly large breed dogs, is the development of limping. Limping can have many causes from trauma/soft tissue injury to infectious agents like Lyme disease. However, it’s important to not forget about many of the developmental bone disorders seen in young rapidly growing dogs such as Panosteitis or Hypertrophic osteodystrophy. Disorders like these are usually due to defects in elongation of the long bones of these dogs (the exact causes are often not known) and can lead to varying degrees of pain and limping in dogs from as young as 3-4 months of age most commonly up to 16 to 24 months of age.

The limping can appear in one limb and then resolve, while only later to appear in another limb a short time later. Some dogs can develop fevers and stop eating in severe cases. It is important for animal guardians and veterinarians to work these dogs up appropriately so as to properly diagnose the cause of the lameness, as well as the treatment and prognosis. Most pet’s symptoms will resolve with rest and anti-inflammatory therapy including prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Rimadyl, Previcox, or other pain medications like Tramadol.

I have found natural supplements like Proanthozone as well as Yucca Intensive to be helpful in some dogs. While the exact causes are not known for most of these conditions, many veterinarians feel that over supplementation and/or excessive protein intake may be involved.

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If we don’t get to Charlie first thing in the morning she meows by the front door and waits. Apparently, this morning she was too hungry to wait and took matters into her own…claws. She had just started eating her own freshly caught breakfast when I came out with her cat food. I guess I was thankful that she didn’t smear the insides across the front porch like she usually does, though I am not sure what our fickle feline will do with the leftovers. It’s going to be another long hot day here in Florida and our cat might get a little creative. I just know we have our own Checkpoint Charlie guarding our yard. Cole likes to say she is part of the “No Squirrels Allowed” club he and Adam have formed. My boys think she is the coolest cat in the world.

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Pet owners are often looking for various chew toys or bones for their dogs to not only help exercise their teeth and gums, but to also help keep them happily occupied and not bored. There are many possible products out there. Various biscuits like milk bones or gourmet biscuits can be tried, but feeding too many of these can lead weight gain because of the excessive amount of carbohydrates and calories in these products. Many animal guardians will go to local pet supply stores and buy various versions of pigs ears, raw hides, or beef jerky for dogs, but these products I find can be hazardous to many dogs, not only in their ability to sometimes cause obstructions when broken into little pieces, but also due to the toxic flavor-enhancing chemicals and preservatives used on many of these products.

Bully sticks are a natural alternative and most dogs tolerate them fine. I have also found Greenie Dental Chews useful for many dogs, which can help clean the teeth. And finally, in my experience and opinion many dogs do wonderfully on giving raw meaty bones to their pets. Not only does this provide calcium and nutrients, but guardians can often observe the tartar literally wash right off the teeth. Beef backs, chicken backs, and raw marrow bones are amongst the options I have found most useful in my practice. I haven’t seen problems clinically with salmonella or E. coli poisoning when dogs are given fresh raw meaty bones. It is the use of cooked bones that is the big risk to dogs, as cooked bones can splinter leading to sharp foreign bodies and other risks, etc.

There is classic book called Give your Dog a Bone by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, which outlines the benefits of feeding raw meaty bones to dogs. Another option is feeding a fresh raw diet such as the wonderful Nature’s Variety Instincts, which not only provides balanced fresh nutrients, but also calcium sources in the form of small bones that are wonderful for the health of the teeth and gums of our dogs.

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Another common scenario seen in the veterinary clinic and which veterinarians often see on an emergency basis is the alarming symptom where one or more of the toenails split down to the base of the nail leading to bleeding, acute lameness, and pain for the pet. While trauma can play a role in these situations, many dogs have brittle nails which will often spontaneously split on their own without any known cause or trauma. The panic comes when the dog cries out in pain or the nail bleeds for several minutes.

The best advice I can give clients is to remain calm and simply apply pressure to the affected nail for 5-7 minutes. In the vast majority of cases, simple direct pressure and patience is all that is needed to stop the bleeding. Certainly a soft wrap or bandage can be placed on the foot at home, which can remain in place for 24 hours. If the nail breaks at an angle and/or remains split, it is best to cut the nail right at the point of splitting which while painful to the pet, it is only brief, but is necessary for proper healing and future regrowth of the affected nail.

Many pet stores sell over the counter pet supplies to facilitate healing and lessen bleeding time. If in doubt, certainly your veterinarian can clip the nail at the point of splitting and apply a soft wrap, but this is a condition that many animal guardians can be taught to handle at home, in order to avoid the expenses of a veterinary visit. If a pet continuously breaks off or splits their nails on a more frequent basis, then a full medical workup at the veterinarian is needed to rule out underlying medical, hormonal, or autoimmune conditions that could be underlying causes.

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